Lesson 7: After Your Purchase

Is it important to obtain a copy of my sales receipt?

Yes. Obtain and save a copy of your sales receipts. You need a copy of a sales receipt in order to verify the purchase when reconciling your statement. If you misplaced the sales receipt and need a copy to verify an item on your statement, contact the merchant directly. If getting a reprinted receipt isn’t an option, contact your contractor bank to send you a copy. See the Administration section of this training to learn more about the requirements for maintaining records.

What is inspection and acceptance (receipt of supplies and services)?

Card/account holders, when possible, should use a third party to document independent inspection and acceptance of supplies and services they order or obtain in person. This simply means having another government employee sign off on the receipt or other purchase documentation verifying that the supplies/services were inspected and accepted. In some cases, such as when making an emergency purchase or when no other government employee is available, independent inspection and acceptance may be impossible. If that is the case, the card/account holder must document that independent inspection and acceptance was not possible and why.

Inspect each product to verify that it is in good condition with no visible damage or defects and the items meet the requirements of the purchase (color, size, quantity, etc.). Card/account holders should also verify that the purchase documentation (receipts, packing lists, shipping documents, etc.) matches what is provided by the merchant and that all requirements of the purchase are fulfilled. For services, verify that the work done is satisfactory. If upon inspection, all terms of the order as described above are fulfilled, the products or services may be accepted.

In the event the items purchased are defective, damaged or otherwise do not comply with the card/account holder’s order, the card/account holder shall attempt to resolve these issues as soon as possible directly with the merchant. Similarly, if services provided are not satisfactory, the card/account holder shall address deficiencies immediately and directly with the merchant and prior to payment, if possible.

What kind of accountability is there for items that I purchase?

Each year, agencies acquire billions of dollars of property with GSA SmartPay® Purchase cards/accounts. This means that the card/account holder’s responsibilities do not end when an item they purchased is inspected and accepted. The purchased item must be properly accounted for in accordance with applicable federal and agency policies and regulations.

Complying with Agency Policy

Card/account holders must be familiar with and comply with their organization’s policies regarding property management. This includes coordinating with your servicing property officer and appropriate custodians to ensure that all sensitive and otherwise accountable property is recorded in the applicable property tracking system, consistent with your agency’s policies and procedures. Card/account holders shall also familiarize themselves with agency policies for reporting property they acquired with a GSA SmartPay account that is missing, stolen or damaged after the initial receipt process.

Official Use Only

Supplies and services purchased with a GSA SmartPay Purchase card/account are for official use only. For example, an iPad purchased to view podcasts of work-related presentations and lectures should not also be used to store personal music and photos, nor should it be engraved with the user’s name. At any time, property could be taken back by the issuing activity or program and re-issued to another person within that program.

Sensitive Property

Because GSA SmartPay Purchase cards/accounts are frequently used to obtain sensitive items, an accurate property tracking system should be in place. Sensitive property includes items that are susceptible to loss, misuse or theft, such as mobile phones, laptops, monitors and printers.

Check with your agency policy on governing accountability for sensitive property as mentioned above. Card/account holders shall ensure applicable federal and agency accountability procedures are followed for property for which they are responsible. This activity includes providing information to agency/organization property officers and/or systems on items purchased, excluding consumables.

Buying For Another Government Employee

If the card/account holder is purchasing an item for another government employee, that employee is the user of that property and is therefore responsible for ensuring the proper accounting of that property. However, card/account holders should ensure they have documentation in their file demonstrating that the property acquired was delivered to another party and is no longer their responsibility.

What happens if I have to cancel an order?

If you need to cancel an order, immediately contact the merchant. Immediately contacting the merchant allows you to cancel before the item has been shipped. If the merchant has already processed the transaction, a credit should be issued. If the merchant has not processed the transaction, simply cancel the order. Special order items may include a restocking charge.

What happens if I have to return a purchase?

Return policies can vary by merchant. Merchants are responsible for establishing their own return and adjustment policies with their customers. If the return policy is unclear when making a purchase, please ask the merchant for clarification to avoid future misunderstandings. Merchants are required to disclose their return policies to the customer before the completion of a transaction.

How do card/account holders obtain the refund or replacement of defective items?

By accepting the GSA SmartPay Purchase card/account as payment, merchants agree to refund or replace any defective items. The first step is to work with the merchant on a resolution. This is usually a refund or replacement of the defective item. If the merchant refuses to issue a credit voucher, you must dispute the transaction through the issuing contractor bank.

What happens if I make a purchase that was not approved?

If it has been determined that the item cannot be returned, the government must pay for the purchase and recoup the amount of the purchase from the card/account holder. That is why it is important to fully understand what can and cannot be purchased with the GSA SmartPay Purchase card/account and ensure that your approving official is aware in advance of what you are purchasing.